Activists oppose govt proposal to resume mining in Aravalis

Sumedha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, March 9

Environmentalists have opposed a Haryana Government's proposal to resume mining in the Aravalis, for which it has sought the Supreme Court's approval.

The activists have launched an online protest requesting the apex court to not approve the government's proposal, citing ecologically fragile status of the Aravalis lying primarily in Gurugram district.

"It's been more than 10 years since mining was banned, but the Aravalis ranges are yet to recover from the damage caused to the wildlife. The mining destroyed the topography of the region. Today, Gurugram is in the dark zone as the water table is at its lowest level," said Jatinder Bhadana of the Save Aravali Trust.

Another activist Rachna Sahay said, "Every monsoon, we face flash floods. Gurugram and Faridabad are drowned. Our region is turning into an arid zone. Hundreds of environmentalists are fighting to save whatever is left of the Aravali ranges. Mining quarries will destroy everything. The government's proposal has not taken into consideration the environmental cost."

Social organisations have been posting "before and after pictures" of the Aravalis, highlighting the damage caused to the ecologically sensitive zone by mining.

The state government has taken the plea that it wants to generate jobs by resuming mining. According to the proposal, there will be 10 mining blocks on 600 hectares, a majority of them in the recently identified wildlife corridors.

The Supreme Court had, in 2009, imposed a blanket ban on mining in the area. In 2002, it had banned mining within 5 km radius of Delhi.

Haryana has been citing examples of Rajasthan to press its case for mining, claiming that it would take all necessary measures to ensure that mining does not disturb the environmental and ecological balance.

The reality, however, is different. In 2018, a Supreme Court-appointed committee had found that 31 out of 128 hills in Rajasthan's Aravali region vanished in the past 50 years because of illegal quarrying.

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10 mining blocks on 600 hectares

• The state government has taken the plea that it wants to generate jobs by resuming mining
• According to its proposal, there will be 10 mining blocks on 600 hectares
• A majority of the blocks are on the recently identified wildlife corridors

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